‘As You Like It,’ to be staged in Monmouth

Theater at Monmouth opened William Shakespeare’s “As You Like It” as part of their Brave New Worlds Season on July 27.
Welcome to Arden. This is the story of Rosalind. Oppressed and exiled from Court under threat of death, she escapes with her cousin into the wild and unpredictable Forest of Arden. Disguised as a man, while tutoring other men of the forest how best to woo, Rosalind succeeds in wooing not only Orlando but also helps other inhabitants of the forest to find their true love. All the world’s a stage in As You Like It, Shakespeare’s gender-bending comedy, where poetry, mistaken identities, and true loves lost and found abound.
One of the central settings for As You Like It is a place that is all too familiar to us here in Maine: the woods. Director Dawn McAndrews said “Arden is a forest which — by its diverse trees, flowing rivers, coastline — we know to be all places and no place at once. This is part of its magic; it is a setting not just for Rosalind’s self-discovery, but our own. Having a bad day? Take a walk in the woods. Each time we take a walk in nature we come out better. Shakespeare certainly knew the transformative power of the wilderness, too. The plot of As You Like It is a profound journey into a renewing exile. It is about finding oneself through words and pastoral-fueled self-exploration,” according to a news release from Theater at Monmouth.
As You Like It features A.J. Baldwin as Duke Frieda, Christopher Blonski as Oliver/A Lord, Mark S. Cartier as Adam/Corin/First Lord, Robbie Harrison as Touchstone, Rebecca Ho as Celia, Tracie Lane as Amiens/Audrey, Zack Lopez Roa as Orlando, Katie Mitchell as Phebe/Second Lord, Christopher Joel Onken as Duke Senior/LeBeau, Tommy Vest as Charles/Silvius/A Lord, Michael Wood as Jaques, and Jaine Ye as Rosalind. Directed by Dawn McAndrews, Set Design by Dan Bilodeau, Costume Design by Michelle Handley, Lighting Design by SeifAllah Salotto-Cristobal, Sound Design by Rew Tippin, and Fight Direction by Sally Wood; with Stage Management by Dominique Nadeau, Assistant Stage Management Cameron Sarchi and Sydney Enthoven, and Props Supervision by Madelaine Foster.
Performance are set for 7:30 p.m. Aug. 8; 7 p.m. July 30; and 1 p.m. Aug. 1, 3, 9 and 13.
Tickets cost $40 for adults, $35 for senior citizens, and $25 for children.
For tickets contact the box office at boxoffice@theateratmonmouth.org or 207-933-9999 after 10 a.m. on the day of the show.
For more information, visit theateratmonmouth.org.